Feeding mechanism for lamp-base machines.



T. l. WALKER & J. A. AKEROYD. FEEDlNG MECHANISM FOR LAMP BASE MACHINES.

APPUCATION man FEB. a, 1911;

Patented Dec. 26,1916.

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APPLICATION FILED FEB. 3. 1911- 1,210,237. Patented Dec. 26,1916.

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P31611161 Dec. 26,1916.

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APPLICATION FILED FEB. 3, I911.

Patented Dec. 26,1916.

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Thomas I. Walker Julius flraqkerogd 1. 1. WALKER 11 1. AIAKEROYD. FEEDLNG MECHANISM FOR LAMP BASE MACHINES.

- 7 APPLICATION r1150 FEB. a, 1911. 1,210,237. 193161111111 Dec. 26,1916. e suzns-sman 5.

T. I. WALKER & J. A. AKEROYD. FEEDING MECHANISM FOR LAMP BASE MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 3, I9II- 1 10,237. Patented Dec. 26,1916. I 6 SHEETSSHEET 6.

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PORATION NEW YORK.

FEEDING MECHANISM FOR LAMP-BASE MACHINESl This invention relates more particularly,

though not exclusively,to machines for making the bases of incandescent lamps, such bases commonly consisting of metallic shell and center contact pieces united by a web of glass or other fusible insulating material.

In its specific application" to this use, the invention comprehendsimproved. automatic feeding mechanism for inserting the metallic parts of the base into. the molds of a baseforming machine, and other improvements in the mechanism of the machine.

The invention is herein illustrated as-embodied in a 'conventionaltype of machine for making lamp bases, having particularly,

utility in its applicationto amachine employed for that purpose. The invention, however, has application to purposes other than, and is not limited to, the manufacture 'of lamp bases, the feedingmechanism in a generic sense being applicable to feeding articles, other than metallic base parts, for presentation to any desired operation, vor for other purposes.

' In the drawings: Figure 1 is a plan view showing, in general, a base-making machine embodying one form of the invention; Fig. 2 is a front elevationoi' the same machine, some of the parts being removed for the salre of clearness; Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional elevation taken through one of the molds; Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation of a typical form of metallic shell Fig.5 is an elevation showing the usual form of center contact or eyelet; Fig. 6 is an end elevation offthe machine showing the operating mechanism for the plungers which are emplovedto insert. the metallic parts ofthe basein the. mold;

Fig. 7 is a plan of the mechanism shown in F1g.'6; Fig. 8 is an end elevation. ot the at Specification of Letters Patent. Application iuea'rebr uar a, rail.

WALKER;

letters on the drawings ser al no. costar.

tachment which carries the feeding mechanism; Fig. 9 is a detail showing-the driving PatentedfDeci'2ti, f

connection on themain machine forthefeedfing attachment. Fig- 10 is a section on the line 10-10 in Fig. 9 on an enlarged scale; Fig. 11 is a section on the line,1-11.1i:i n

Fig. 8, buton an enlarged scale showing one of the driving gears for the feed mechanism Fig. 12is aplan on an enlarged scale showmg the feeding mechanism rforthe center,

contacts; Fig. 13., is a sectional elevation taken through the hopper. for the center-com tact or eyeletfieeding mechanism on the line.

13. 13'in Fig. 12; Fig.1; is a central sectional elevation taken on the linel l lt in Fig. 12; Fig. 15 isa detailin elevation show-" ing a portion of the hopper wall in Fig. 13; Fig. 16 is a plan view on an enlarged scale of the transfer devices for the center contact pieces; Fig. shows the center. contact in its released position andready to descend onits guiding plunger into the mold. y

.In the drawings, and referring first more particularly to Figs. ,1, to 3, inclusive, there is shown, .for illustrative purposes, a machine for making lamp bases of the general type describedin prior Patents to Swan Nos. 774,408 and 796,470 and Marshall 856,972

and 856,974. Referring briefly to the operation of the principal mechanism of a machine of this type, the molds .or receptacles for the base parts, herein twelve in number,

are carried upon. a rotary head 1, or. other mold carrier, which serves to present them in succession to the several. operating mech-' anisms of the machine. Each mold. comprises a shell holder 2 as. shown in Fig. 3,

fixed to the head 1 and adapted toreceive the shell. part 4: of the base (seeFig. 4). The

mold is providedwith the vertically movablebottom 3, shaped to receive .the bottom of the shell and to hold also in appropriate re-" lation thereto the perforated metallic center" contact oreyelet 5 sho'wnin Fig. 5. The

mold bottom has a depending plunger-6 normallyrdepressed to a fixed-position by the spring 7, but adapted to be lifted. at the appropriate time by .avertically movable lift- P ing lever (not shown) to expel the completed base from the mold. The lifting lever is actuated by a cam, not, shown,: on the main l I .105

power shaft of the machine;

The mold carrier is given a step by step movement by meansof the notched wheel 8, the rotary disk 9 and the pin 10 (shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1), or by any other su table means, so as to present each mold in succession to charging devices for introducing a charge of molten glass into the mold, compressing means for compressing and forming the web of molten glass, a clearing device to clear the perforation of the eyelet and finally to the lifting lever and cooperating means for removing the completed base from the mold, all of which mechanisms are well known and are not shown in the drawing. The movement is such that the mold carrier is caused to dwell for an interval between each movement to permit the several operations to take place simultaneously upon the bases or base parts in different molds of the series.

Referring now to the automatic feeding 20, bottom 21 secured thereto, and hinged cover 22 through which the supply of eyelets may be replenished from time to time.

The hopper parts are fixedly secured to the hollow stud 23 supported by the casting 24, the latter secured to the top 25 of the feeding attachment. In'the lower edge of the hopper shell there are provided one or more openings 26 (herein four are shown) of a suitable shape and size to permit the discharge of the eyelets right side upfrom the hopper to a travellng wall, the latter comprising the annularl plate 27 encircling the hopper and forming the bottom of an eyelet guideway, the sides of which ar formed by the hopper shell on one side and the fixed annular plate 28 on the other. The eyelets are forcibly ejected from, the hopper by means which agitate the mass and tend to separateand force individual pieces through the openings 26. Any suitable means may be employedfor this purpose, but herein there are provided a plurality of radially arranged wire brushes 29 carried by a rotary head 30 so as to sweep along the hopper bottom in the direction of the arrow (Fig. 12). A transverse partition 31 partly closes the main passage way of the hopper above the path of the brushes so that the partition tends to hold back the contacts and leave the space between it and the openings 26 comparatively open. The contacts, being piled up against the partition, are forced toward the middle of the hopper and fall upon the mclined walls of the rotary head 30. Some of these contacts are deflected to the open space in front of the partition, tending to right themselves in the act of sliding to the hopper bottom so that they arestruck by the next brush emerging from below the partition and thrown toward an opening 26, where the pressure of succeeding contacts and the succeedin brush tends to throw them out on the annular feed plate 27 right side up.. Overturned and excess contacts are swept past the openings by the long brushes while the intermediate short brushes serve to force accumulated contacts out of the hopper. Rotary movement is imparted in one direction to the brush head 30 through the stud 32, bevel gear 33 and bevel pinion 34 and to the feed plate 27 in the opposite direction by the bevel gear 35 and pinion 34, the latter being secured to the short shaft 36 and driven from the bevel gear 37. The discharge contact pieces are carried in the guideway 27 (see Fig. 12) partly around the hopper and are then deflected into a continuation of the guideway, the sides of which are formed by the fixed slotted plate 38 and the bottom by the rotary plate or disk 39. Such guideway continuation lies along the edge of the rotary disk 39 and the latter is in close proximity to the annular feed plate 27 so that the contacts pass from the annular plate to the disk and are carried by the latter in a continuous series toward the mouth of the guideway, which latter is normally closed by the transfer mechanism to be later described. The disk39 is turned in the direction of the arrow (Fig. 12) by the beveled gear 40 (Fig. 14) to which it is secured, the latter being driven by the beveled pinion 41 and intermeshing gears 42 and d3 (see Fig. 12).

For best results itis found desirable to force the contact pieces into the guideway and toward the mouth thereof in quantities in excess of the requirements of the inserting devices, and preferably by means of power-driven mechanism, such as the traveling walls and the hopper discharging devices described. The feeding of an excess quantity, however, or even of a sufficient quantity to supply the inserting devices tends to result in frequent interruptions of v the molds,

the guideway is provided with a lateral exit at any suitable point, herein at 44 (Fig. 12) just beyond the point Where the contacts are discharged from the hopper upon the rotating plate 27. The discharging capacity of the hopper may be varied by increasing or decreasing the number of discharge openings 26 but is so fixed that an excess number is discharged and a continuous line maintained which will reach from the mouth of the guideway back approximately to the exit 44,'both the annular plate and the r0- tary disk being caused to travel at a higher rate of speed than the rate of advance of this series. A contact discharged by the hopper will be added to this series if there is room to receive it, but, if not, it will be forcibly deflected through the lateral exit 44 and drop into the underlying box or other receptacle 45 the contents of which from time to time can be returned to the hopper. To drive the described feeding mechanism the shaft which carries the beveled pinion '43 has at its opposite end a pinion 46 meshing with the pinion 37 and also with the driving pinion 47 (see Fig. 2) the latter fixed on the upper end of a drive shaft 48 (Figs. 2 and 8) to the lower end of which is secured the beveled pinion 49 meshing with a larger gear 50. The, gear 50 is driven from the main. driving shaft 51 of the feed frame attachment. a

To provide'relief in case the feed jams the two rotary feed plates are driven through a yielding or friction connection from the shaft 51. For that purpose both sides of the ,beveled gear 50 (see Fig. 11) are faced with friction material 52 and the gear is held by the spring 55 between the 'flanged sleeve 53, fixed on the driving shaft 51, and the sliding collar 54, the latter splined on the sleeve, thereby permitting any required slippage.

To take the contacts one by one from the mouth of the outlet and present them to any suitable transfer means are provided. In the illustrated embodiment of the" invention, we have shown for that purpose 'a pair of gripping members (Figs. 12 and 16) which are reciprocated back and. forth in front of the guideway outlet by the oscillating arm 56. One of the gripping members 57 has an arc-shaped prolongation which closes the mouth of the guideway at all times except when. the gripper is fully retracted as represented in figs. 12 and 16. )Vhen retracted, however, it presents a semicircular recess or pocket 58 shaped to receive the neck portion of the foremost contact piece, the latter being carried out of the guideway by the traveling plate as soon as the pocket is presented thereto. The'gripping member 59 is pivoted on the member 57 at 60 and has a cotiperating recess 61, the

contact fast, while the prolongation of the gripper 58 moves across the outlet of the guideway and closes it against the escape of other contacts until the grippers are again retracted.

The gripper arm 56 constitutes part of a bell crank lever, the remaining arm 63 of which is oscillated in timed relation to the step-by-step movement of the mold carrier by means of the connecting rod 67, the latter actuated by'a crank disk 68. The arm 68 is connected to the rod 67 by means of a stud 63 fixed on the arm but having a slight movement relatively to the rod in a slot 67 formed therein. This movement or play, the extent of which may be regulated by the adjusting screw 68*, provides for a pause or dwell at the end of both the backward and forward movements of the grippers, when the contact pieces are respectively received and ejected. To prevent movement of the grippers during the inte'r'val of dwell the bell crank lever is pivotally mounted upon a stud and held between washers 64 (Figs. 2 and 4) of leather or other friction material by means of the spring 65, the compression of which can be regulated by the nut 66. The crank disk is secured to the vertical shaft 69 and (Figs. 8 and 12) is driven through intermediate gears 71, 72 and 72 from the upright shaft 73, the latter being driven from the main feed shaft 51 by the beveled gears 74 and 75.

To insert the selected eyelet or contact in the mold, there isprovided means for disengaging the contact from the grippers and Y directing it into the mold in its appropriate position. Herein such means are embodied in the form of a plunger 76 (see Figs. 6 and 17). The plunger reciprocates vertically in line with that mold designated as 2 in Fig. 1, and in line with the contact piece when the lat-- ter is presented by the grippers at their forward extreme movement. The plunger carries a projecting end 77 of reduced diameter adapted to pass through the perforation of the contact and on which the latter when disengaged from the gripper jaws is free to gravitate into the mold.

The operation of inserting the contact is as follows: The mold carrier advancing,

brings the empty mold to rest in alinement with the plunger 76. At the same time the selected contact is presented by the gripper .j aws directly in line with the plunger. The

end 77 of the descending plunger passes through the perforations of the contact and into the mold. At the same time the grippers start to move back, this causing the pivoted gripper member 59 to yield and slide over the contact, which, being thereby disengaged, drops into the mold, its. exact centering in the bottom of themold being insured by the guiding stem 7 7 on the plunger. The plungerv then lifts, leaving the mold carrier free to advance thenext mold for a repetition of the same cycle of operations. The plunger is raised and lowered in suitable time relation to the movement of the mold carrier by means of the vertically reciprocating head 78 (Figs. 1, 2 and 6). The latter is secured to the reciprocatory rod 79 (Figs. 6and7) which is actuated through the link connection 80 to the bell crank lever 81, the latter pivoted at 82 to the bracket 83 ,(Figs. 6 and 7 the bell crank lever being oscillated by the face cam 84. The latter is driven by means of the gear 85 meshing with the gear 80, which latter is connected to the sleeve 87 fixed on the main power shaft 88 of the base forming machine. The head 7 8 .is additionally guided by the guide rod 89. secured thereto and sliding in the guideways on the frame. The shell contact 4 is inserted in the mold by a feeding device which is located adjacent to that for the center contact, so thatwhile the center contact is being inserted in one mold a shell may be inserted in another mold which has already received its center contact. The present application is not concerned with the specific construction of the shell feeding means, which forms the subject-matter of. application Serial No. 115,186 filed August 16, 1916. As shown in Fig. 1, the shell is introduced into the mold having the position 2C.v The shell feeding means is not shown in detail, but certain of its features are shown in Figs. 1, 6, 7, 8 and others. As shown in Fig. 1, the shell feeding means comprises a large inclined hopper having the rotatable cylindrical body 90, which is driven through a gear 90 driven by gear 90 mounted on shaft 51, and the fixed bot tom 91. The shells are forced by the movement of the hopper up an inclined portion 92 of a fixed guide-way and into a gravity chute portion 93 thereof, by means of which they are delivered down upon the rotary feed plate 94 and into the prolongation of the guide-way extending thereover 95. It will be seen that while the shells are delivered to the guide-way by gravity, they are forcibly advanced upthe incline thereof by the turning movement of the hopper until the abrupt turn in the guide-way is reached, whereat they drop into the gravity chute 93 and slide down into contact with the rotary feed plate 94. The rotary feed plate 94 is driven in the direction of the arrow by means of the underlying bevel-gear 96 driven by the beveled pinion 97 and sprocket wheel 98, the latter having driving connections to the main feeding shaft 51' (Fig. 8)

through the chain 99 and sprocket driven 70 wheel 100. The shells passing along the guide-way are discharged one by one into gripping devices 101 and 102, which are essentially the same as those already described for the eyelet members, being adapted to en- 75 gage a shell and convey it over a mold. The grippers are carried by the gripper arm 103, which is oscillated by the rock-lever 10 1 connecting rod 105 and crank disk .106, there be,-

ing provided a friction connection 103 be- 80 tween the arm 103 and lever 10 1 similar to that between the arm 56 and lever 63 previously described. The crank disk (see Fig.

8) is carried by a shaft to the lower end of which is secured the gear 107, the latter g meshing with the gear 108 on the shaft 109.

The lower end of the shaft 109 carries the bevel-gear 110 meshing with the bevel-gear 111 on the main shaft 51. The shells, when released from the hopper outlet and picked 90 off singly by the grippers, are conveyed over a mold in the same fashion as the eyelets, whereupon a plunger 112 (shown in Fig. 6) descends into the shell causing its release from the jaws, which latter immediately re 5 tract and open. The'continued descent of the plunger directs the shells squarely into the mold, so that as the plunger lifts the shell is left accurately seated in the required position. The plunger is slidably mounted plunger 112, being depressed simultaneously 5 with the eyelet plunger 7 6, the eyelet and shell are placed in their respective molds simultaneously.

The above described feeding mechanism may be carried by, and constitute a part of, 110

the base making machine, but preferably, and as shown herein, its principal parts are carried upon a separate frame 115, which may be placed adjacent to a standard base making machine-provided with the plungers 115 112 and76 and temporarily secured to the frame of such machine. Such base making machine may then be used either with the automatic feeding mechanism or may be used with a manual feed, the feeding frame 115 being removed and plungers 76 and 112 being disconnected from the driving mechanism. To drive the feeding attachment from the main machine and in timed relation thereto when constructed as a separate attachment therefrom as shown in the drawing, the main feeding shaft 51 is provided with a driving sprocket wheel 116 which is driven by a driving chain 11'? (Figs. 7, 8

and 9), the latter is connected to a sprocket wheel 1l 8 1carried by a short shaft 119 on" with the bevel -gear.124:;on.the sleeve 8 driven by the main'drivingshaft 88, 1

The feeding mechanism may --b-e thrown.

into or outof operationby means of a clutch interposed between the main feeding shaft 51 ,and.thesprocketwheel 116.- This clutch memberf125. having a circumferential collar grooveand a .slidable driving pin 126 carried by the driving memberand normally seated in a. depression. in the face of the sprocket wheel 116 by means of a spring 127. Thatportion of the driving-pin, however, opposite the collargroove isslotted andhas a beveled edge 128 which, in the rotation of the driving member, is brought against-the abeveled edge :129 .of an areshaped operating finger 130, if the latter is lifted andiseated in the c'ollargroove. This results in drawinggthe driving pin 126 out of the depression in the sprocket and in disconnecting the power from the driving shaft. 1 To lift the finger, the latter is pivotally supported at 131 and is connected to the link. 132- and thereby to the rock shaft 133, the latter extending to the front ofth'e machine, whereat it has attached the handle 134 by which the rock shaft may be turned and the finger raised to cut oil the power.

While often unnecessary, it may be some- 1 times desirable, to insert the small center contact into the mold with a mold bottom thereof lifted so as to decrease the distance which the contact is obliged to descend before reaching the mold bottom. This may be readily accomplished in the described form of machine by providing at the appropriate place a lifting cam or other de-,

vice, such as the appropriately inclined arm 135 (Fig. 2) hinged at 136 on the machine frame. The. opposite end of the arm rests upon the screw 137 so that its elevation may be adjusted, the arm being so located that, as the mold carrier is turned, the bottom plunger 6 of the mold engages the inclined portion of the armand is gradually lifted, being brought near the top of the shell 2 and the eyelet is inserted.

What we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

1. An automatic feeding mechanism comprising a hopper for holding a supply of the parts to be fed, a transfer mechanism, a guide-way adjacent said hopper and leading toward said transfer mechanism, means for causing the discharge of parts from said hopper along said guide-way in excess of the requirements of said transfer mechanism and an exit through said guide-way to divert the excess number of parts therefrom.

{ 9,,and .10) comprises. a driving 2. An automatic feedingniechanism com prisin a:stationary hopper for holdin a be fed and having open} supplyz of parts to ingstherein, a transfer mechanism, agu de' way with which the said openings commu'm cate leading toward said 'transferflmecha nism, means for causing'the' discharge-"of parts through sa1d openings and along said guide-way In :excess' of the 1 requ rements of 1 said transfer mechanism and an exit through-- said guideway adjacent divert the excess number of parts.

3. An automatic feeding mechanism comprising a hopper for holding 'a supply of parts to be fed, a traveling wallon which the parts are delivered from said hopper,"a

to said apertures to guide-way toward the outlet-of which the partsare carried by the travelingwall, and

an exit in said'guide-wa'y through which" parts in excess of the feed requirements may be diverted-,- i 1 4. An automaticfeedlng mecha-IIISIDCOIH prising a hopper for holding'a supply of; l

parts 'to'be fed, a 'traveling'wall' surrounding said hopper on which the parts are adapted to be delivered from the hopp r,

a guide-way having an "outlet end toward which the articles are fo'rced by the traveling wall, a second traveling wall comprise,

ing' a rotaryplat'e along the edge of'which the said guide-way extends, said plate receiving the articles from the traveling wall and forcing them toward the guide-way outlet, said articles being delivered to the traveling wall in excess of requirements, means for diverting the excess to a suitable receptacle and means adapted to transfer the parts in succession from the outlet of the guide-way.

5. An automatic feeding mechanism com.- prising a hopper for holding a supply of parts to be fed and having openings therein, a traveling wall on Which the parts are delivered from said hopper through said openings, a guide-way toward the outlet of which the parts are carried by the traveling wall, and an exit in said' guide-way adjacent to said openings through which parts in excess of the feed requirements may be diverted.

6. An automatic feeding-mechanism comprising a guide-way, means for continuously feeding parts along the said guide-way, and a transfer mechanism mounted adjacent to the outlet of said guide-way and comprising a pair of gripping members pivoted together, one of said members having a projection positioned to engage the end of said guide-way when the transfer mechanism is in retracted position to separate said gripping members and to allow a part to be received thereby and means comprised by said transfer of said guideway when the said mechanism is inother than retracted position.

mechanism for closing the end 7 7. An automatic feeding mechanism comprising a guide-way, means for continuously feeding parts along the said guide-Way, and a, transfer mechanism mounted adjacent to the outlet of said guide-Way and comprising a pair of gripping members pivoted together, one of said members having a projection positioned to engage the end of said guide-way when the transfer mechanism is in retracted position to separate said gripping members and to allow a part to be received thereby and a prolongation upon the other of said members for closing the end of said guide-way when the said mechanismis in other than retracted position.

8. An automatic feeding mechanism comprising a guide-way, means for continuously feeding parts along said guide-way, and a transfer mechanism mounted adjacent to the outlet of said guide-way and comprising a pair of gripping members pivoted together, means comprised by said transfer mechanism for separating said members when the Said mechanism is in retracted position and a prolongation upon one of said members for closing the end of said guide-way when the said mechanism is in other than retracted position.

9. An automatic feeding mechanism comprising a stationary hopper having open- Oopiee of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the ings at the bottom thereof, a guide-way communicating with said openings, means for forcing articles along said guideway, and means for forcing articles through said Openings comprising rotary brushes mounted at the bottom of said hopper, means in said hopper above the path of said brushes for partly closing the main passage thereof adjacent to said openings and means located at the center of the hopper bottom for causing the articles to gravitate toward the said names to this specification, in the presence.

of two subscribing witnesses.

THOMAS I. \VALKER. JULIUS A; AKEROYD. 'Witnesses:

E. A. HURLEY, B. GARDINER.

Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

